Poor link roads in Himachal irk apple growers

Tribune News Service

Shimla, August 9

Even as the apple season is about to hit the top gear, some link roads in the apple belts are in bad shape, leaving the apple growers worried about how to market their produce.

Full of slush

The administration should repair the Chamaith-Bartog-Nagpuri road. The harvest season is just a week away, but the road is full of slush. it’s impossible for a loaded vehicle to ply on it. — Residents of Pandli panchayat

Rohit Thakur, Congress MLA from Jubbal-Kotkhai, one of the major apple belts, has alleged that the government has reduced the budget of the Public Works Department this year, making it difficult for the department to repair and maintain the roads in rural areas ahead of the apple season.

“The department’s JCB machines have become non-operational and the roads in the rural areas are neither being repaired nor maintained. In the Jubbal-Kotkhai Assembly constituency alone, several roads are non-functional at the moment,” said Thakur. He further alleged that the PWD was not releasing payments to contractors, and the latter had been delaying the work even on the projects awarded long time back.

“Apple growers are already under a lot of stress due to the rising input costs. The non-functional roads in the middle of the season will add to their woes as they will face problems in taking their produce to the market,” said Thakur, urging Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur to intervene and provide funds to PWD for the repair and maintenance of these roads.

Meanwhile, residents of Pandli panchayat, tehsil Kotkhai, have urged the government and the administration to repair the Chamaith-Bartog-Nagpuri road immediately. “Our harvest season is just a week away, but the road is full of slush. We have no clue how we are going to market the fruit as it’s impossible for a loaded vehicle to run on this road,” said Prashant Chauhan, a resident of village Chaithla-Nagpuri.

“Around three lakh apple boxes are marketed from the villages and this road holds immense importance. The growers will sustain heavy losses if the road is not repaired before harvesting begins here,” said Chauhan.

The condition of roads in adjoining Rohru is also bad. “There are several roads in rural areas that are closed or are in bad shape. For instance, the Bashla-Untapu road, which was sanctioned under Nabard about four years back, has hardly seen any work,” said Lokinder Bisht, an orchardist from Rohru.

“Apple growers have to pay around Rs 55-60 per box as transport charges on this 6-7 km long stretch as pick-up drivers refuse to operate on this perilous stretch on normal fare,” said Bisht, adding that this further cuts down the depleting profit margins of the apple growers.

About The Author

Tribune News Service

The Tribune News Service brings you the latest news, analysis and insights from the region, India and around the world. Follow the Tribune News Service for a wide-ranging coverage of events as they unfold, with perspective and clarity.

Join Whatsapp Channel of The Tribune for latest updates.

#himachal apple #Shimla